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Selective (Cancer Biomarker) Pathology Fellowship

The Department of Pathology offers a one-year fellowship in Cancer Biomarker Pathology.

About the Program

The goal of the Cancer Biomarker Pathology training program is to provide fellows with expertise in integrating traditional microscopic diagnostic skills with technical skills required for the discovery and validation of clinically useful pathology biomarkers for cancer patients. The program also will adequately prepare pathology trainees for a successful career in academic medicine.

The Cancer Biomarker Pathology fellow will identify a specific cancer type for more detailed study and an appropriate program faculty supervisor. The fellow will participate in traditional microscopic sign-out of cases in this subspecialty field. Available subspecialties at MD Anderson include GI pathology, GU pathology, gynecologic pathology, breast pathology, neuropathology, hematopathology, dermatopathology, soft tissue pathology and lung pathology. For example, trainees interested in colon cancer biomarker development will participate in GI pathology clinical sign-out, and those interested in ovarian cancer biomarker discovery will participate in gynecological pathology clinical sign-out.

In addition to acquiring focused, diagnostic experience in such subspecialty areas, the fellow will gain knowledge and skills in molecular techniques useful for cancer biomarker discovery, such as genomic technologies (cDNA microarray, PCR, qRT-PCR), proteomic technologies, tissue microarrays and protein lysate arrays. All of these technologies are established in the Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at MD Anderson. Particular emphasis will be placed on the integration of such molecular data with established clinical and pathological indicators of tumor behavior. Trainees also will be expected to participate in relevant tumor board planning treatment conferences at MD Anderson, in which discussion of the utility of such molecular assays frequently occurs.

Upon program completion, the fellow will have gained proficiency in diagnostic pathology in his or her chosen subspecialty and in various applied genomic technologies. Such a combination will be vital to adequately prepare the next generation of academic leaders in pathology and biomarker development program.

Requirements

Candidates must be board certified or eligible for certification in anatomic pathology or AP/CP. Preference will be given to applicants who are interested in a career in academic pathology.